exploring people and places one plate at a time

July 28, 2005

Local Food Challenge

1. What's your definition of local for this challenge?

I'm going to start with the Locavores criteria and work with the 100-mile radius around San Francisco. This also means if not local, then organic and if neither small family farm and then move the radius out in 25-mile increments. I expect I'll be learning some much-needed geography. I'm a city dweller. My extended environs go to Sonoma, Yosemite and Santa Cruz. I'm lost anywhere else!

2. What exemptions will you claim?

Although it's impossible to source Jamba Juice locally they are a local company (wink). No, I may need to give this up. Along with my "why bothers" (non-fat decaf latte) and my weekly veggie burrito. I'm also not sure what I'll do about tortillas and lavash. I will make exemptions around tea with organic or fair trade. What I'm looking to do is bring in some new food products into my everyday life. I do a fair amount of baking and cooking for myself and will be specifically looking at how to bake in an organic manner and find spices that are sustainably grown and/or organic. So spending the month of July raising my awareness and working to find quality-tasting substitutes for everyday products is my ultimate goal.

3. What is your personal goal for the month?

Realistically, and maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I, nor any of us, can eat 100% local but this effort for me is to learn what is lacking in the foodshed. Open space is a problem in most urban areas is a huge concern. Granted living where I do we have a very progressive movement here so it's better than most. I cite Pt. Reyes, Tomales Bay, both a huge effort of Marin Open Space, and Sonoma Open Space as examples. So my goal is awareness and active improvement. I may even toss out my Teflon. No, I will throw out my Teflon.

1 Comment

you know what I think is interesting about finding sustainably raised spices is that one might learn which spices are seasonal. although dried spiced are dried for more reasons than to store them, it would be nifty to understand why some spices in some cultures are used in summer or winter dishes. hmm.